I have absolutely zero dressage/eventing background, so bear with me: How far in advance do riders know what the test will be? Are there just multiple set tests for this level that will always be the same no matter what competition you’re at? How many times on average will they school it?
Thanks for putting up with me, and sorry if I should have put this in the dressage forum!
All of the tests are always the same, so everyone knows the tests whenever they choose to, and can practice them whenever they want to. Usually they do some changes, a little or a lot, to the test every four-five years to improve them. The most recent change was in 2011 for USDF. The FEI tests are the same all over the world.
as soon as the new tests for the season/period come out, or, more specifically as soon as the pricelist is published.
The Olympic eventing test is a special test written for these Olympics. I’m not sure when it was officially released, but it has been at least 6 months.
As for the dressage competition, the Grand Prix test is a normal test ridden at all competitions and is on the normal 4-5 year schedule for being changed. The second test is the Olympic Grand Prix Special which (like the eventing test) was written specially for these Olympics. It is shorter than the normal grand prix special. It was released last year, and riders have been able to ride it in competition since December (if not earlier).
[QUOTE=daydreambeelievr;6464449]
I have absolutely zero dressage/eventing background, so bear with me: How far in advance do riders know what the test will be? Are there just multiple set tests for this level that will always be the same no matter what competition you’re at? How many times on average will they school it?
Thanks for putting up with me, and sorry if I should have put this in the dressage forum![/QUOTE]
For the eventing riders, there are two tests (A and B) at each level, and when the Omnibus is published the beginning of the year, it lists which test they’ll be using. So months in advance. And the tests are only changed every few years, with the last FEI update appearing to have happened in 2009. The Olympics has it’s own specific test for Eventing, not sure about the straight Dressage tests.
The amount of riding of the test depends on rider and training preferences, mostly. Personally, while we work on parts or elements in lessons, I usually only run through the whole thing a few times, because you don’t want the horse to learn the test and start anticipating. Especially because as the year goes on, you end up riding the whole test several times in competition anyway.
[QUOTE=JenEM;6464545]
[edited]
The amount of riding of the test depends on rider and training preferences, mostly. Personally, while we work on parts or elements in lessons, I usually only run through the whole thing a few times, because you don’t want the horse to learn the test and start anticipating. Especially because as the year goes on, you end up riding the whole test several times in competition anyway.[/QUOTE]
I bolded - I have seen a few tests where the horses were anticipating and the riders were having to correct, but it was still noticable.
I heard a commentator today say the eventing dressage test was designed for Bejings heat, hence why it’s only 4.5 minutes.
[QUOTE=Petstorejunkie;6465010]
I heard a commentator today say the eventing dressage test was designed for Bejings heat, hence why it’s only 4.5 minutes.[/QUOTE]
[Pedant] There was no equestrian competition in Beijing [/Pedant]
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It does get hot and muggy in Hong Kong though 
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